Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Monday's Forecast
Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Hazy, some fog banks
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Distant views reduced by haze, locally foggy for a time in valleys and some hill slopes.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
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Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Hazy, some fog banks
Distant views reduced by haze, locally foggy for a time in valleys and some hill slopes.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 19th October 2026
Last updated
Sun 18th Oct 26 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
A fine but chilly day for the Highlands with sunshine, but cloud will roll in from the southeast to increasingly cover hills in southern areas in the afternoon. Cloudier all day for northern England with a little rain, strong and gusty easterly winds. Early rain in Wales clears, low cloud tending to break with time.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunshine, some low cloud moves in south. Gusty in places.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly 15 to 25mph, locally variable and some gusty spots around high tops, locally downslope early in day. Speeds tending to rise later, 30mph and stronger gusts toward dusk.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small, but feeling chilly and later may affect comfortable walking in exposure.
How Wet?
Largely dry, damp later southeast
Some fine drizzle may develop in afternoon over hills toward Deeside and Braemar, more persistently damp here by the evening.
Cloud on the hills?
Most hills start clear or above fog; low cloud filling in from south during day
Some fog banks on low terrain from dawn into morning, but the hills widely above this; some patches drift upslope during morning. Gradually a layer of cloud spills in from the south to cover hills above 700-800m up to most tops, but some high summits may remain above cloud until late when the layer thickens. Patchier toward Monadhliath.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
90% early, dropping to 20% south afternoon or 60% northwest.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine and excellent visibility in morning, and into afternoon near Strathspey. Becoming cloudier from the south in the afternoon, misty around some southern hills.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Around 5C, slight rise during day; small variation with height over the mountains. Feeling like 0 to -5C in exposure to wind.
Freezing Level
Frost widely in glens and some sheltered higher areas early morning; otherwise above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 20th October 2026
Last updated
Sun 18th Oct 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 25 to 40mph, gusty around higher Cairngorms, risk gusts 50mph in places near and north of high tops.
Effect of the wind on you?
Affecting comfortable walking, on some terrain more strenuous, sudden buffeting gusts. Considerable wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain and drizzle mostly south
Drizzly rain most frequent southern Cairngorms NP, may become steadier rain with time. Small patchy amounts toward Strathspey, for periods more often dry for Monadhliath.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, locally better north
Toward the south, low cloud blanketing many hills in fog from lower elevations upward. Shrouding the Cairngorms fairly extensively, but cloud base nearer 700-800m to north, local higher breaks.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Overcast, dull and misty from many lower slopes upward, but locally better visibility below cloud toward Strathspey.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Around 5C, little change all day. Feeling like -3 to -7C in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 21st October 2026
Last updated
Sun 18th Oct 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Likely to vary, south-southeasterly 20-30mph early morning, then a lull, later may switch westerly 20-30mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Fairly small for periods, but feeling chilly if exposed on high terrain, may be more blustery at times.
How Wet?
Early rain likely fades
Some uncertainty, a risk of persistent rain particularly toward east in the morning, then may become drier for a time, but risk later in day of rain returning from south, turning to snow on the Munros from dusk.
Cloud on the hills?
Fairly extensive higher areas
Covering many higher mountains, varied bases, often 800-1000m, but likely lower in east in morning. Some breaks mostly toward Strathspey if drier.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy. Visibility good if dry below cloud, but reduced in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C tending to drop to 2C into evening. Feeling nearer -5C if exposed to wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits likely all day, but into evening likely dropping to 1200m, then nearer 1000m into night.
Planning Outlook
A complex weather setup into midweek with slow-moving fronts bringing areas of rain and fairly extensive low cloud over the hills, varied wind speeds. Thursday may offer a window of drier weather and light winds, but by Thursday night into Friday a storm system likely moves across England & Wales with heavy rain and gales, possibly turning to snow on higher mountains. Scotland may avoid this system and just see showers mostly in the west for Friday, wintry on tops. Another Atlantic storm is then forecast to track further north over the weekend bringing widespread severe gales to high terrain, heavy rain then showery westerlies. Generally unsettled weather likely prevails to the end of October.